Black-Eye Pea's Polamalu Spirit Leg Warmers: FREE Knitting Pattern

{aka Pea is for Polamalu ~ Ravelry pattern link}

Pea's sister Mouse received the first pair in the series of Pittsburgh Steelers Spirit Leg Warmers. By no means could Pea be left out. No, no. Not Miss Jealousy herself.

{Checking the offensive set}

Pea's favorite football player is the Steelers Troy Polamalu. She says they have a lot in common. They are both really smart. They are both really fast. They both have to be wherever the ball is and take it away from the other person/dog. If they don't get to the ball first, that other person/dog deserves to be tackled. And if the quarterback/mama/papa throwing the ball is too slow, it can be taken away then, too.

{The blitz is on!}

This set of leg warmers was constructed a little differently. I chose to go from the bottom cuff up and use intarsia for the numbers. I suck at intarsia and it looked all warped. I frogged them and decided to just do the entire section between the cuffs in gold stockinette then use a duplicate stitch in black for each number. It went together so much faster for me that way. However, if you are better at intarsia than me, I included the charts for that.

{Prepare to be sacked!}

Again, the do-it-yourself formula for gauge, yarn and needle size can be found here with some tips within the pattern in red. My pattern for "Pea is for Polamalu" in Pea's size (medium dog) is below.

{Time out}

Steelers Striped Leg Warmers (for dogs)

Ravelry pattern link

• Suggested Yarn: I Love This Yarn! (available at Hobby Lobby) or other aran/worested weight yarn (2 colors, Black and Yellow in this project*)
• Yardage needed: Specifically, not much. I don't have the exact yardage calculated. Again, I am a slacker.
• Materials: US 7 dpns (or size needed to obtain gauge), tapestry needle
• Gauge: 5 stitches and 7 rows over 1 inch in stockinette stitch
• Finished dimensions: 8" around top cuff tapering to 6" around bottom cuff and about 9" in length

{Pea is for Polamalu}

Abbreviations: k-knit, p-purl, M1B-make 1 back, M1F-make 1 front (See knittinghelp.com for instructions and video of the increase stitches. They explain it way better than me.)

If doing the color work in intarsia, the numbers start at row 7. The charts at the end of the pattern have all the color work directions and a different way to divide stitches per needle.

Loosely cast on 24 stitches in color A (black). Divide evenly between 3 dpns (8 sts per needle). Place marker and join in the round. P.S. Don't twist the stitches.

Rows 1-4 (Color A): *K2, P2* to end

Rows 5-35 (Color B for rows 3-45): Knit all stitches

Row 36 and all increase rounds: k1, M1B, k until 1 stitch before end of round, M1F, k1 (26 total stitches)

Rows 37-38: knit all stitches

Row 39: increase round (28 total stitches)

Rows 40-41: knit all stitches

Row 42: increase round (30 total stitches)

Rows 43-44: knit all stitches

Row 45: increase round (32 total stitches)

Row 46 (Color A): knit all stitches

Rows 47-54: *k2, p2* to end

Finishing: Loosely bind off all stitches. Use the charts and duplicate stitch (Color A) to create the numbers on each leg warmer. One number per leg warmer.

{Click each image enlarge. Charts for intarsia and duplicate stitch}

Please let me know if you make these leg warmers! (Or if you have any problem with the pattern.) Leave a comment or message me on Ravelry. I am drizzle and design as Hermione J. Schwartz.

*Colors and jersey numbers can be swapped, but let's not tell Pea. =]

Mr. T Starter Kit

Nicknames are just a part of life in our house. Pets and people both get multiple nicknames, just to confuse everyone. For example, Dirty and his buddies call everyone Johnny. Instead of man or dude you are Johnny...or Papa...or Mama. They call me Drizzle, Driz, A-drizzle, Squaw, Pip, etc. Dirty has a friend we call Lou, Louie, Uncle Louie or Grandpa, along with occasionally calling him by his real name (which is actually his middle name, but whatever).

Clicky the Moose (he's a dog) was originally named One Time, but then got Clicky the Moose, Moose, Moosey, Moosey-Moose, Clicky the Goose, Clicky the Goat, etc. He comes to all of them but One Time.

{Jeffery T always requires a pillow}

One of Jeffery T's nicknames is Mr. T (as in the original A*Team). I decided that he needed a gold color. Dirty calls it his Mr. T starter set.

{Before--mostly for the hardware}

{Mr. T starter kit}

I had a FQ of a gold fabric with shiny gold threads weaved through it. Pretty ugly by itself, but perfect for the starter kit.

{Sporting his Mr. T starter kit and watching a bird}

I cut a strip about 1" thick, folded it like bias tape and stitched the long side closed. I looped it through the break-away clip and snapped it on T.

{I pity the fool!}

T loves it. =]

Mouse's Steelers Striped Leg Warmers: Knit Pattern

{Mouse's Steelers Gear}

Living in a warm weather climate, my dogs find it difficult to show their team spirit (Steelers spirit, that is) during the football season. The season starts in August (it is hot here) and continues through September (hot), October (still hot), November (warm to not that hot) and into December and January (sort of cool, except that one week that is it pretty cold). Needless to say, those cute doggie sweaters are out and a simple little collar and leash combo just doesn't cut it.

Mouse --she's a dog--requested a pair of Steelers striped leg warmers she can wear during the games and on walks when it starts to get chilly. Who am I to deny my dog Steelers gear?

{She says, what other colors are there?}

Thus the Steelers Striped Leg Warmers pattern was created. We (Mouse and I) decided on a classic black and gold stripe with 2x2 ribbing at the cuffs. Mouse says she supposes that the leg warmers could be made in other colors, but she doesn't know why you'd want to do that. ;]

{I'm ready for some football!}

The leg warmers are made from two colors of acrylic yarn for the washablity and longevity acrylic supplies. Additionally, our climate doesn't necessitate wool or wool blends for 99% of the year and I didn't want to cause overheating issues. Sweaty paws, yuck! If we lived in say...Pittsburgh...I would definitely make another pair in a superwash wool. I used size US7 dpns to get a nice fabric.

{Mesmerized by the game}

The pattern was written specifically for Mouse's legs. They measure 8" in circumference just under her elbow joint and taper down to 6" in circumference at her wrist. The total length is about 10". Mouse is what I consider to be a medium size dog bordering on largish. She's a 65 pound American Bulldog. I say medium because she isn't the largest or smallest dog we've had. The pattern (below) discusses gauge and has an equation for customizing the size to different leg circumferences.

{Steelers Striped Leg Warmer}

Steelers Striped Leg Warmers (for dogs)

Ravelry Pattern Page Link

• Suggested Yarn: I Love This Yarn! (available at Hobby Lobby) or other aran/worested weight yarn (2 colors)
• Yardage needed: Specifically, not much. I don't have the exact yardage calculated. I'm a slacker.
• Materials: US 7 dpns (or size needed to obtain gauge), tapestry needle
• Gauge: 5 stitches and 7 rows over 1 inch in stockinette stitch
• Finished dimensions: 8" around top cuff tapering to 6" around bottom cuff and about 9" in length

The written pattern is for the measurements listed above. However, this equation should help you resize the pattern for other sized pets.

Customizable Equation

From your gauge swatch: ____ stitches per inch _____ rows per inch

From your pet: _____ circumference of leg just under the elbow joint (I'll call it upper leg)

_____ circumference of lower leg just above wrist (above the side nail thing)

_____ length of arm from elbow to wrist

Cast on amount:

___(stitches per inch) x ___(circumference of upper leg) = ____* Make the total a multiple of 4

Number of decreases needed:

___(stitches per inch) x ___(circumference of lower leg) = ____* Make the total a multiple of 4
(upper leg total) - (lower leg total) = ____ number of decrease stitches / 2 = ___ number of decrease rounds Space the decrease rounds between 2-4 rounds of stockinette depending on the length of the leg and how drastically it tapers.

Pattern

Loosely cast on 32 sts in color A. Separate over 3 dpns. Needle 1 has 8 sts, needle 2 has 16 sts, needle 3 has 8 stitches. Customized sizing instructions in (red). Divide cast on stitches over 3 dpns with 1/4 of the total stitches on needle 1, 1/2 on needle 2, and 1/4 on needle 3. I decrease at the beginning and end of needle 2 thus the extra stitches on that needle.

Rows 1-6: (Color A) *k2, p2*

Rows 7, 8, 9: (Color B) Knit all stitches

Row 10: k8 (all of needle 1), ssk, k12 (to last 2 stitches on needle 2), k2tog, k8 (to end of round)

Rows 11, 12: Knit all stitches

Row 13: (Color A) Knit all stitches

Rows 14: k8 (all of needle 1), ssk, k10 (to last 2 stitches on needle 2), k2tog, k8 (to end of round)

Rows 15, 16, 17: Knit all stitches

Row 18: k8 (all of needle 1), ssk, k8 (to last 2 stitches on needle 2), k2tog, k8 (to end of round)

Rows 19, 20, 21: (Color B) Knit all stitches

Row 22: k8 (all of needle 1), ssk, k6 (to last 2 stitches on needle 2), k2tog, k8 (to end of round)

Rows 23, 24: Knit all stitches

Rows 25-30: (Color A) Knit

Rows 31-36: (Color B) Knit

Rows 37-42: (Color A) Knit

Rows 43-48: (Color B) Knit

Row 49: (Color A) Knit

Rows 50-54: *k2, p2*

Bind off loosely. Weave in ends

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

As expected, Clicky the Moose and Black-Eye Pea have asked for leg warmers of their own. Moose has requested leg warmers to replicate the socks from the team's throwback jerseys, while Pea wants to represent for her favorite player Troy Polamalu. The patterns to those designs will be added as they are completed. =]

FO: Shelves Upon Shelves Socks

{Shelves Upon Shelves sock pattern by Erica Lueder aka Dreams in Fiber}

{Ravelry link to my project}

Whew! What I thought would take 2 weeks and would make a great birthday gift for my friend Susan actually took 2 months and won't be on any feet but mine. I know, I am awful. I'll make her something pretty soon!

{With Eye of Partridge heel. Love it.}

I just can't give them up. And, I think they are a little to out there for her. She is more classic and subtle. Sure, I can spin it a million ways, but I am still awful. I have made socks for other people and happily gave them away, but I didn't like them near as much as these. Just awful. Shameful!

{Side by side}

Anyway, when we were kids she pushed my down while roller skating because I wouldn't share my ice cream cone. I have a scar on my knee to prove it. Now were even. =]

{Pea agrees with me. See, she's guarding them.}

Quilter Bees - October - Houses for Anna

For the October installment of Quilter Bees Anna asked each of us to make 9.5" square blocks with little (3-4") houses on a light gray background (to mimic the cloudy skies of the Pacific Northwest).

I am really angry at Anna for requesting these. Although she did warn us that the house blocks are addicting, she has really started an obsession on my end. As soon as I started the first block I wanted to make more. Addictive doesn't even begin to describe how fun these blocks are.

{I didn't have enough gray left over to finish out this block, but Anna does have more gray, so don't worry.}

Living in the warm, beach area of the south I decided to make a pink house taking inspiration from 1950s Miami. Jeffery T. (my cat) is peeking out the window. I appliqued him on the window sill so that the edges frayed a little for his fur.

{Pea sitting by her house}

I had some fabric left over so I made a dog house. Again, I appliqued on one of our dogs Black-Eye Pea. She can't fit inside the dog house because the door is tiny, but that's OK, she wouldn't go in there anyway. She would rather be outside chasing squirrels.

As Anna suggested I looked over the tutorial on Quiltville. It is very good and was very helpful to me since I had not made a block like this.

I already have a sketch for a quilt using little houses and all of our pets. Like the "To Do" list needed another member... =]

Tomatoes to the Wind

{Handmade tomato hangers soaking up the sun}

Dirty has a pretty green thumb. See all the pretty green stuff in the yard. That's Dirty's deal. Me, I am more yellow-green to brownish-green. But I found a way to help, even if I can't plant, water, trim or harvest. I can make spiffy little tomato hanger baskets!

{Only one plant survived the transplant on this one}

Several weeks ago we transplanted the tomato seedlings we bought several months ago. Yeah. At first we made a big 24"x 24"x24" hanging box for 9 plants. We hung it on a rope from a tree. Then we had a classic summer thunderstorm and it started to swing. It had to weight 40 pounds. 40 pounds swinging in 35 mph winds near a screen door is not really a good combination. Not to mention 40 pounds turns into super heavy when saturated with rain. Not recommended.

{This baby is rockin'}

After the too huge tomato hanger debacle, we made five small ones instead. Dirty made the wire hangers out of a roll of fencing and wire. I made the basket liners out of cheap-o burlap and pre-made bias tape to finish the fold over edges and make the corner ties. (The ginormous one had Velcro instead of longer ties, it didn't work out.)

{Our wet dog bath towel is hanging in the back to kind of help the tomato plants show up better in the picture}

These baskets are about 6" x 8" x 12" and are perfect for 4-5 plants. I cut two strips of canvas: one strip 9" x 32" and one strip 7" x 34" (width+1" x depth+bottom+depth+2" for fold over). I laid them out to cross in the middle. Using a zigzag stitched, I stitched a rectangle and X where the strips overlapped. Then I stitched up the sides, stopping about 2" from the top.

{More wet dog bath towel, but this basket is growing like crazy}

While the bag is inside-out, put it in the basket to make sure it fits and that the tops fold over about an 1" or so. I used a Sharpie to mark where to mark the hole for the plants. (It can be seen better in the first and second picture.) I made these about 1/2" x 1/2". That makes them large enough for the stem to grow, but not large enough for a bunch of soil to spill out when it rains 4" in one day or when I over water them--see yellow-green thumb mentioned above.

I stitch around the marked opening three times with a zigzag stitch, then cut out the section. After all the sections where reinforced with the stitching and cut it out, I attached the bias tape around the raw edges leaving about 4-5 inches on each end to tie the corners together. I started by stitching the bias tape to the two short edges that make the corner seam, then adding the bias to the long straight edges with the extra to tie. All of this was done with a zigzag stitch, too.

Dirty filled the baskets with compost and soil to the lowest openings, threaded through the plants, filled to the next opening, repeat with the plants and filled up the rest of the basket. Some of the baskets have a plant in the top, too.

We hung these cute little tomato hangers from the fallen tree that also holds my clothesline. We can remove them if it rains too much or gets too windy. That's also why we didn't put any plants out the bottom. They don't have any blossoms yet, which is not a big surprise since they were planted so late. Luckily we have an extended growing season. They've tripled in size so far, so I think we'll be fine.

The idea is that tomato plants are pretty much vines. We spent the last two summers staking and re-staking our plants in the regular garden, just to watch them get drowned by a tropical storm. The hangers can easily be brought indoors if/when another tropical storm sits and spins over us for a week dropping 22" of rain and blowing her little heart out. Oh, it'll happen and we'll be ready. =]

I say she's a Swap Mama

Swaps are risky by nature. You may get what you always wanted but never knew it or you could get a great handmade creation that's well made, but just not you. It's a 50/50 chance at best.

I love swapping, yet I am often hesitant to sign up. I am usually a quick decision kind of girl. Swaps are one thing that slow me down. Not only am I thoughtful of the fact that the person on the other end is only going by what they read from this little blog and from my lame attempts at describing my likes and dislikes, but I am always worried that, going off of similarly little information, my creations for them are OK, but not blow-her-away spot on.

With the latest installment of the BTRSswap I definitely came out on the plus side of that 50/50 risk. (Please excuse the crappy cell phone pictures. I usually borrow my guy's camera, but he's got it and I am impatient.)

My make-it-for-me partner Erika of Inspired Mama Musings sent me the best swap package I have received. In this round swappers made the Charming Handbag from Amy Karol's Bend-the-Rules Sewing. Erika paired an awesome chocolate brown background and bright flowers fabric with a bright stripe fabric for the lining and handles. This bag is very me. It's already backed full of my daily necessities.

Along with the Charming Handbag, Erika made some matching fabric covered buttons that I already plan to use with the Full Contact Apron from Anna Maria Horner's Seams to Me, two super cute fabric covered hair pins, several custom made tags and a rockin' fabric covered ring.

Also tucked in my new bag were these handmade tags, which I don't know if I will be able to use because that would mean they wouldn't be mine anymore.


Uncharacteristic of me, I actually have started and finished the bag I am making for my partner. I am including a few little goodies and am half way through knitting a little dish washing cloth to go along with the package. Hopefully I will finish up the knitting tonight and send the package off tomorrow.



Jeffery T. was very helpful during the sewing of the bag. He likes to help me press the fabric (aka laying all over it while I am trying to trace/cut/line up pieces). He did get a little bored of me shooing him off the fabric and amused himself by trying to measure his own head. This is difficult to do with a metal yardstick. He kept saying, "Mama, how big is my head?" or "See, Mama, my head isn't as big as you thought."


No, T, 5-1/2" inches is not too big for a cat head.


=]

Wonky log cabins + Ruby = A Happy Sunday

Wonky log cabin quilt blocks are a lot harder than they look. That being said, if you follow the instructions they are pretty simple and very fun.

I did not follow the instructions when making this bath mat. I had read through them earlier in the day and tried to remember what I had read. Yeah, that's not recommended. I started out wrong and couldn't really get back on track.

So many things went wrong with this, but I am still OK with it. Not super proud, but OK. It's about 2 inches smaller in each direction than I had planned. I should have added two more rounds, but the reason for that kind of goes back to starting wrong. I should have started by making a bunch of 1-1/2" strips then pieced those rather than freelancing everything and running out of usable fabric pieces. Oh, well. I have started on attempt number 2 and it is going much better. The printed directions are sitting next to my sewing machine. It really is quite amazing what happens when you do what you are supposed to.

Last Sunday, my guy and I decided to ride our bikes 8 miles (and over a big bridge) to one of our favorite neighborhoods. It is a super hip part of town with cute and/or trendy and/or hippie shops lining the street. As we were walking to the end of the block, my guy spotted this beauty sitting next to the dumpster of the old apothecary shop (which is being turned into an Asian Bistro).Instantly I regretted not bringing a motorized vehicle. To say that I wanted this treasure is an understatement. I seriously considered getting a piece of rope, tying it to my beach cruiser and towing it home 8 miles and even if we had to go up a big bridge.

When we (finally) got back home from our 16 mile round trip bike ride up and down a big bridge twice, we hopped in the Single Cab and headed back to the treasure spot. All the way there my guy kept teasing me saying that it wouldn't be there and someone else who had driven there in the first place already took it home. I'm not ashamed to say that I had my fingers crossed the whole way back. Luckily it was still there and we snatched it!

In it's past life this radiant red box was the fiberglass casing of a cooler. I like think it held ice cream treats for sick little girls and boys, or for good little girls and boys who took their medicine without throwing a tantrum.

It has some brackets on the back that would have hinged for a flip top lid. A friend of ours (The Toughest Guy in the Neighborhood, but that's a whole other story) is an electrician and said that the brand name is definitely a freezer manufacturer.

It will now be my new sewing table! I need to clean it up a bit and add a tabletop of course, but I can't wait! I'll put all my fabrics and notions in bins and stack them in the belly. It will be so pretty.

Right now I am sewing on a fold up cardboard table I bought 7 years ago to sell Princess House crystal. It has a hinge in the center so I can't cut very long pieces of fabric on it. It's a sad state. When I start to sew even remotely faster than the turtle setting on my machine, the whole table starts to jump up and down, which causes the machine to jump and all the things on the table to jump and move and go crashing onto the floor. Case in point, I sent my container of full and slightly full bobbins onto the floor. Those really aren't that fun to pick up.

Back to old red. I need to think of a name for her. A lot of sewers name their dress form, but I really feel a connection to this table. I'm bouncing a few around, but I haven't made up my mind yet. Maybe Ruby. Maybe...

Please let me introduce you to Black-Eyed Pea. She was running around the yard when I was taking pictures of Ruby. The camera is Pea's cue to ham it up. She kept running in front of Ruby, or laying next to her when I was taking these pictures. I snapped one of Pea alone so she wouldn't feel left out.

Yeah, I think Ruby may fit. I'll try it out on her and see what she thinks.

=]

HJS Week in Review

Sunday

Here we go, Steelers! Here we go! Pittsburgh's going to the Super Bowl!

http://www.bestsportsphotos.com/images/PF/sept05/04PolamaluTroy01.jpg

Oh, how I love the Steelers! Troy Polamalu is by far my favorite player of all time. He is a smart, quick, passionate athlete. Ben Roethlisberger, Fast Willie Parker, James Harrison, James Farrior, Larry Foote, Santonio Holmes, Heath Miller, the entire offensive and defensive lines...awesome game. I have three words for the Arizona Cardinals: Defense wins championships.

Monday
Super fun day. My computer at work wouldn't load Windows and the hard drive nearly had a complete meltdown. After being on the phone for 4 hours with Dell technical support, we got the computer operating. Then I spent 6 hours backing up all the files on my computer. My computer happens to be the main computer for the company and has TONS of important data on it. Lesson learned: Back up much more frequently so you don't have to stay at work until midnight holding off a heart attack for not backing up files.

One good bit, my parents stopped by my work on a whim and dropped off a box of fat quarters!
Tuesday
Inauguration Day! I listened to the inauguration ceremony on NPR. I was on the way to the airport to pick up my amazing aunt. She is a missionary and a teacher in Brazil. She was back in the states for about a year, but she is on her way back to Brazil. She is staying here for about 10 days before she flies off to summer weather. Unfortunately, she wasn't feeling well that day, so we are going to spend a day together later this week. YEA!

Wednesday, Thursday and Friday
All these days, thankfully, were pretty normal days. Nothing too exciting. Nothing too traumatic. It was unseasonably cold here, several days in a row with hard freezes overnight. Due to this I was able to make some progress on the socks.
Saturday
The weather warmed up significantly, but we had to work all day. Usually we only have to work until 12:30 pm. This Saturday was followed up by an estimate for a prospective customer. There are several areas around our city that have been run down in the past, but are part of a resurgence lately. This customer has recently bought an old brick market building that was transformed into two "lofts". (I am using lofts because that is what the owner called them. To me lofts are in multi-story building. This is just one level, but it does have all the exposed brick and ducting inside the building.) Hopefully, we will get the contract to acid stain the concrete floors. It will be a great transformation and a wonderful addition to the portfolio.

Sunday
No football to watch today, but we still had Chicken Wing Sunday. The weather was nice again, so all the dogs got a bath. None of them really care to get a bath, so this is always interesting. Usually it takes twice as long to get them on the porch for the bath than it does to actually bath them. They are oh so pitiful...

My guy also replaced our worn out propane grill tubes with a really cool H burner. It took some modifications, but it heated up the grill nicely and helped make some delicious wings!

I also did some cleaning, blah. Jeffery T and I got to relax a bit and check up on some blog posts we have fallen behind in reading.
He must have had a pretty rough day holding down the bedspread... In my next life, I want to be a cat.

=]

Stash busting last minute gifts

Procrastination got to me again this Christmas. I always make the gift list with the greatest of intentions, then reality and life takes over and I find myself still awake at 2 am Christmas morning at the sewing machine stitching up gifts and seriously considering stitching my eyelids open. Throw in a last-minute decision to visit my guy's family (a 12 hour drive) and 5 more last-minute gifts... This girl almost cracked!

Then I got my brain and small stash in order. What could I make quickly with what I had on hand but still had a lot of heart and thought? Aprons, of course!

Crazy 9-Patch Apron Set for aunt, cousin & 5 year old goddaughter

A few months ago I used some fat quarters to practice the crazy 9-patch quilt pattern. The blocks ended up about 12 inches square. I had a few left over and some coordinating muslin. I seamed two blocks together, bordered them with the muslin in a 2" strip on the bottom and sewed on the waist ties. The are also backed with the muslin.

His goddaughter's apron seemed long enough, but not wide enough so I added 2" on each side of the block then stitched on the waist ties. All of the waist ties have a little pleat where the front pieces meets the wrap around ties.


They turned out a lot better than I imagined. Best of all they were well received. The three generations like to bake together so it was a hit.

Simple and Funky Polka Dot Apron

This apron was actually planned a gift for my guy's dad's lady friend last year. Chalk this up to the aforementioned greatest of intentions thing... The fabric was purchased, washed, dried, pressed, cut, placed in a Ziploc and never sewn. It sat there for a full year in the "Ready to Sew" basket glaring at me. It will take you 15 minutes to finish me. You know, she would really appreciate me. Really, you don't have 15 minutes to stitch me together? You already did the hard part, come on!

So at 1:30 am on December 26 she got stitched. Did I mention we were leaving at 4 am for that 12 hour drive? Did I mention that I usually require 8 hours of sleep at the very least to function throughout the day? Did I mention that sleeping in the car is a cardinal sin to my guy and he would never let me get a nap? (Thankfully the aprons were so cute and he saw how hard I worked on them and I was granted a 4 hour nap! I love you! Yea!)

1:30 am or not, this apron rocks! If the recipient wasn't such a sweet and crafty herself that apron would have "accidentally" stayed home. It is (very) loosely based of the "Vintage Apron" in Bend-the-Rules Sewing by Amy Karol. I used the skirt measurements, but made the waistband and ties about 3-1/2" thick. Instead of gathering the skirt, I added four 1" pleats.

The trip was quick but great! I love the area where he grew up and I love his family. Oh, we gave my guy's dad two bottle of wine from a small winery in New Mexico which was the fifth last minute gift.

Christmas Day here at home was fun, too. We relax at the house, (...well after I finished my mom and dad's gifts when I woke up...) and watched a movie. The temperature was unseasonably warm (about 70 degrees) so my guy surprised me by cooking breakfast on the grill. He made eggs, bacon and jalapenos, toast and coffee.

The eggs are from our local farmers' market and they are the most amazing tasting eggs I have every had. The have brown shells and cook up wonderfully by themselves or in baked goods. The bacon was cooked with fresh picked jalapenos from our garden. So delicious!

It was a great holiday season as a whole. Lots of handmade hotness, lots of good eats and lots of great family moments.

=]